Buying a boat is a disease!
It is not contagious but 90% of the boat owners have it. 
Soon after purchasing our first home we decided that sailing might be fun. We did not have a huge budget and wanted a boat that would offer some speed at a low cost. Our first boat was a used 14 foot Hobie.
The Hobie was fun, wet, fast, uncomfortable and due to the size was really set up for one person. First time out on the boat on Crystal Lake I saw a person flagging me towards shore. I ventured over and he said loudly first time sailing? I proudly responded yes indeed. He said you put the sail up wrong, the rope goes up the track. The boat handled 100% better after that correction.
That next spring we sold the Hobie and bought a used O’Day 19 foot Day Sailor. This was a wonderful boat that we learned the basics about sailing. This boat had a mainsail, jib, small storage area for fishing poles and a cooler and a swing keel. We had a great time and owned this boat for 2 full years.
Our next boat was a Pearson 26 footer. A well used boat but had overnight accommodations and we secured a mooring in Ipswich Ma next to Cranes Castle. Our first long voyage was to Cape Cod. We motored thru the Annisquam River and got a mooring in Gloucester. The next leg was across to Scituate. We sat on the mooring for 2 days waiting for the weather to clear. NOAA called for afternoon thunderstorms and we were too nervous to get caught in bad weather. We finally realized they called for thunderstorms every afternoon. Great boat with a forgiving learning curve as we ran into a ledge on 2 occasions with no damage to the boat what so ever.
After two years with the 26 footer, we bought a used 30 foot, Pearson, as our children started to come along. We put a divider in the V birth and netting around the boat and kept on sailing. We did some club racing and into the 2nd year of ownership, we were out cruising around when a boat came along and passed us on the leeward side and then outpointed us by 15 degrees.
My brain stopped working, my next purchase was a go-fast boat, J35. Perfectly set up for a family of 4, 2 rear berths and a v berth along with a permanent table, stove and icebox plus it was a go-fast race machine. I owned this wallet draining boat for 10 years. I had a full complement of sails plus every electronic go fast gadget you could add. The boat cost more than my house at the time.
I finally sold the boat for about 1/3 of what I had into it and bought a lake cottage and the boat disease started over. This time I was back to my fishing roots from childhood. In a later post I will get into all the details but I started with a canoe to a 14-foot boat to a 16-foot ski/bass boat. The brain fogs again and I purchased a boat slip on Winnipesaukee and a used 19-foot center console fishing boat for salmon fishing. With the center console, I had to carry my gear back and forth from the car. Getting old and lazy I upgraded again to a used 20 foot walk around perfect for fishing and plenty of storage for gear. Was I happy, yes but I added a trolling motor, fancy fish finder, 2 downriggers, a trolling box and enough gear for all.
As you can see this is truly a disease that can not be cured!
I must admit in my 35 years of boating I only purchased one new boat the J35. This boat was an adventure. We raced the boat successfully and ventured to Boothbay Maine to Nantucket and all the ports in-between. Major fun!
Please leave your comments on your boating sickness. I will be starting a boating anonymous class for those with this serious addiction. The only cure is to purchase a lake home!
Call Lady of the Lake Realty at 1-888-737-5550, e-mail at info@nhlakesrealty.com or visit our website to view lake homes in New Hampshire at www.nhlakesrealty.com
Contact Carl Sack or Paula Hinckley #nhlakesrealty